Electrical flush valve actuating means



Dec. 31, 1963 e. R. WHITNEY ELECTRICAL FLUSH VALVE ACTUATING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 2'7, 1962 IN VEN TOR. 4/6 21: 1?. M12729 Y Dec. 31, 1963 G. R. WHITNEY 3,115,643

ELECTRICAL FLUSH VALVE ACTUATING MEANS Filed Aug. 27, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 51 INVENTOR.

United v States Patent 3,115,643 ELECTRICAI. FLUSH VALVE ACTUATING MEANS Glenn R. Whitney, 600 Diversey Parkway, Chicago, Ill. Filed Aug. 27, 1962, Ser. No. 219,692 3 Claims. (Cl. 410tl) The invention relates to improvements in electrical flush valve actuating means for automatically actuating a flush valve or similar apparatus at selected intervals. The device of the present invention is particularly adapted for operation of flush valves of the type commonly used in urinals and is only responsive to the presence of liquid excretion in the urinal.

More particularly, the device or" the present invention includes a plunger carried on the end of a solenoid core and which is actuable in response to energization of the solenoid to trip the pilot valve in a valve assembly of the type commonly used in flushing systems. The solenoid obtains its electric current from a suitable source, preferably a battery enclosed in the device housing. The electric circuit to the solenoid is completed upon closing of a control switch through operation of a lower voltage solenoid, i.e. one requiring substantially less power to energize than the aforesaid valve operating or tripping solenoid, which has its electric circuit closed through electrical bridging of normally open terminals that are imersed at all times in the usual trapped water in the rinal. Applicant has found that the gap between the terminals is not bridged electrically when said terminals are submerged in pure water but that said gap is electrically bridged when liquid excretion is present in said trapped water, due to the fact that its resistance to current flow decreases in accordance with the degree of contamination or impurities content of the water. Consequently, the device is actuated to open the flush valve only when the urinal has been or is being used and at all other times the valve remains closed. This mode of operation is of particular advantage in regions of water scarcity or in installations where economy of water usage is desired or necessary, and it is of further advantage in preventing drainage on the battery occurring when the current flow between the immersed terminals is insufficient to cause energization of the valve operating solenoid.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a novel valve actuating device of the character referred to.

Another object is to provide a valve actuating device embodying novel features of construction.

Another object is to provide a valve control device that is responsive to the presence of liquid excretion in a body of water.

Another object is to provide a novel combination of electrically actuated elements operable to efiect the opening of a valve.

Another object is to provide a novel valve control device which is not expensive to manufacture, is easy to install, positive in its operation, inexpensive to operate, and which is easy to maintain serviceable and is safe in use.

The structure by means of which the above noted and other advantages and objects of the invention are attained will be described in the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, showing preferred illustrative embodiments of the inventin, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the novel actuating device, showing it mounted on the valve-conduit assembly of a urinal, said assembly and urinal being shown in part section.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the actuating device, showing a valve stem and parts in elevation.

FIG. 3 is a wiring diagram of the component parts of the actuating device.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of a modified construc tion.

Referring to the exemplary installation of the actuating device illustrated in FIG. 1, said device, generally indicated at 1-1, is mounted on the body of a conventional flush valve 12. This valve may be generally described as being of a type commercially 'known as a Royal or Naval flush valve, manufacture by Sloan Valve Co. Such valves include a vertically extending body 13 having a transverse inlet M and a depending outlet 15. The outlet 15 is formed with a transverse opening defining an externally threaded flange '16. A line conduit 17 is connected to inlet 14 as by means of a coupling nut 18 and has a flow regulator 19 seated therein which is adjustable so as to regulate the volume of water delivered to the interior of body 13.

The mechanism of valve 12 is conventional and, as shown in a very simplified form, it includes an interior wall 21 terminating short of the upper end of body 113 and upon which is normally seated a diaphragm valve 22 having a pilot valve 23 seated therein. The pilot valve 23 has a stem 24 that extends downwardly into the vertical depending outlet 15 and terminates in the region of the axis of flange 16. Such a valve is normally held closed by balanced pressure on both sides of diaphragm valve 21, said diaphragm having a bleed opening 25 therein for this purpose. When the valve is to be actuated, the stem 24 is displaced upon application of force in a direction normal to its axis to open the pilot valve 23. As the closing pressure in the upper side of diaphragm 22 diminishes, the diaphragm is displaced upwardly by the pressure of water against its under side outwardly of wall 21 to permit water to flow from the inlet 14 directly into the interior of outlet 15. The diaphragm valve 22 will close when suflicient pressure is built up over the top surface of said diaphragm through the admittance of water thereto through opening 25, the pilot valve having previously closed upon removal of its displacing force.

The novel actuating device herein disclosed in an exemplary form in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be enclosed in any suitable casing, such as the cylindrical casing 35 illustrated, having a neck 36 of reduced diameter on one end and an enlarged diameter 37 at its other end. The latter is closed by a removable cap 38, whereas the neck 36 is externally flanged at its end for seating against the end of the externally threaded flange 16; a coupling nut 39 affording a firm water tight connection between the parts.

A solenoid 41 is mounted within cylindrical casing 35. As best shown in FIG. 2, this solenoid includes a coil 42 and a movable core 43, the latter normally extending beyond one end of said coil and having a rigid extension arm 44 on its extending end. This arm has a slotted aperture 45 therein to receive loosely therethrough the pilot valve stem 24. The operation, insofar as it has been described, is such that when solenoid 41 is energized momentarily, the core 43 thereof is retracted, thus tilting valve stem 24 and opening the pilot valve. Flushing now takes place.

The enlarged diameter 37 of the device casing houses a switch solenoid 46 and a battery 47. A pair of terminal wires 48, 49 extend out of the casing, as shown in FIG. 1, and these wires are carried in any suitable manner into the water discharge line 28 and are extended therethrough and down along the inside wall of urinal 31. The terminal wires 48, 49 each have on their ends a contact terminal 51, both of which are immersed in the water 52 normally retained in the urinal trap 53. The operation of the device can best be explained upon reference to the diagram illustrated in FIG. 3.

One terminal end of solenoid coil 42 is connected through lead 54 to one terminal 55 of battery 4 7, whereas the other terminal of said coil is connected through lead 56 to a resilient arm 57 mounting the core 58 of switch solenoid 46. The terminal lead 4% is also connected to said arm 57 and a bypass lead 59 connects said arm to one terminal 61 of the switch solenoid coil 62. A lead 63 connects the other terminal 64 of coil 62 to battery terminal 55. The other battery terminal 65 is connected by lead 66 to the terminal lead 49 and also to a base element 67 forming part of the switch solenoid assembly 46. As shown, the terminals 51 are immersed at all times in the Water in trap 53.

When the water is contaminated with even a minute quantity of liquid excretion, the gap between terminals 51 is bridged electrically thus closing the circuit to and enengizing switch solenoid coil 52. When this occurs, its core 58 is drawn into the coil and said core makes electric contact with base element 67 thus closing a main circuit from battery 47 through lead 54, coil 42, lead 56, resilient arm 57, core 58, base element 57 and back to the battery, through lead 66. The coil 42 of solenoid '41 is thus energized pulling its core 33 in a direction to displace the valve stem 2-4 sufiiciently to open the pilot valve 2 3 and start the flushing operation.

The purpose of the switch solenoid assembly 4-6 is to insure that there is a dwell in operation to hold the pilot valve open sufllciently long to permit opening of the diaphragm valve 22. Assuming that a 12 volt battery is required to operate the solenoid 41, the voltage across the switch solenoid coil 62 will be about 3 volts owing to losses in the liquid conductor 52. However, when the circuit to the valve actuating solenoid coil 42 is closed, the full battery current is ied to said coil. The switch solenoid 62 will remain energized so long as there is a perceptible quantity of liquid excretion present in the water in the trap thus maintaining a current flow through coil 42 for a period of time sufiicient to allow the diaphragm valve to open. As soon as full flushing is initiated and the quantity of liquid excretion in the water trap is reduced to a mini-mum, the switch solenoid coil 62 is deenergized, cutting off the supply of current to the main solenoid coil 42 and returning the core 43 and the pilot valve 23 to normal.

The alternative structure shown in FIG. 4'difiers from the structure best shown in FIG. 2 primarily in its operating connection with the pilot valve stem 24. Here the solenoid core 26 is adapted to be thrust forwardly toward the stem 24 when the coil 42- is energized. Specifically, the core 26 carries a relatively stifi? spring 27 on its outer end which normally is spaced from the valve stem. When the core is thrust forward the spring abuts the valve stem 24 with suflicient impact to be compressed and to shift the valve stem sufiiciently to tilt same and open the 4i pilot valve. Now, when the core is retarded to its initial position there is a dwell in the closing of the pilot valve occasioned by the return of the spring to its normal extended position. This dwell is sufiicient to hold the pilot valve-open long enough to relieve the pressure above diaphragm 22 and insure full opening of the main valve.

It will be understood that the valve actuating device herein described in exemplary forms is operable only at times when the urinal is in actual use consequently there is no waste of water as occurs in instances when periodically operated valve actuating devices are used. Also, the operation is entirely automatic and is not dependent upon any manual operation and if desired the electric current can be supplied through. a step-down transformer connected with a volt house current supply line, although battery operation is preferred.

What I claim and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. Electrical flush valve actuating means responsive to the addition of liquid excretion to a body of water contained in a trap chamber, said device comprising solenoid means for actuating said valve, a first normally open circuit for energizing said solenoid means including a current source and a normally open switch in said circuit, and a second circuit connected in parallel with said first circuit and including said current source, solenoid means for actuating said switch to a first-circuit closing position and a pair of spaced terminals immersed in said body of water, said terminals defining a gap normally maintaining said second circuit open but which is electrically bridged when liquid excretion is added to said body of water as results in current flow between said terminals, said lastnamed solenoid means requiring substantially lesser power for its energization than said first-named solenoid means whereby small-current iiow across said terminals, as compared to the substantially greater current flow required to energize said first solenoid means, will effect energization of said last-named solenoid means as in turn effects closing of said switch and actuation of said valve.

2. Electrical flush valve actuating means according to claim 1, wherein said valve includes a conventional valve body and both said solenoid means are enclosed within a common casing affixed to said valve body.

3. Electrical flush valve actuating means according to claim 1, wherein said switch comprises a fixed terminal and a movable switch-closing element being the core of the solenoid of said last-named solenoid means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,404,155 Littlefield Jan. 17, 1922 1,820,981 Le Fever Sept. 1, 1931 2,388,990 Nelson et al Nov. 13, 1945 

1. ELECTRICAL FLUSH VALVE ACTUATING MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE ADDITION OF LIQUID EXCRETION TO A BODY OF WATER CONTAINED IN A TRAP CHAMBER, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING SOLENOID MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID VALVE, A FIRST NORMALLY OPEN CIRCUIT FOR ENERGIZING SAID SOLENOID MEANS INCLUDING A CURRENT SOURCE AND A NORMALLY OPEN SWITCH IN SAID CIRCUIT, AND A SECOND CIRCUIT CONNECTED IN PARALLEL WITH SAID FIRST CIRCUIT AND INCLUDING SAID CURRENT SOURCE, SOLENOID MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID SWITCH TO A FIRST-CIRCUIT CLOSING POSITION AND A PAIR OF SPACED TERMINALS IMMERSED IN SAID BODY OF WATER, SAID TERMINALS DEFINING A GAP NORMALLY MAINTAINING 